With this contract, Batista will officially end his active career as a Blue Jays player.
After being selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 20th round in the 2000 draft, he was traded to Toronto in 2008 through several teams.꽁머니지급
After that, his heyday unfolded. He played in 1235 games over 10 seasons, batting average of 0.253, on-base percentage of 0.273, slugging percentage of 0.506, 288 home runs and 766 RBIs. He recorded 54 home runs in 2010, holding the club’s personal record for most home runs in a single season.
He won six All-Stars and three Silver Sluggers, and led the team to the Championship Series for two consecutive years in 2015 and 2016.
In particular, in Game 5 of the Division Series against the Texas Rangers in 2015, he hit a final three-run home run and then showed off an exciting bat flip. This scene still remains as a famous scene in the history of the Blue Jays club.
In an interview with local media such as MLB.com that day, he said, “I want to celebrate with the fans. It’s a celebration of my career and all the things I’ve been able to accomplish as a Blue Jays player. I’m really grateful for the Blue Jays team. It is good to be acknowledged and congratulated at any time.”
The Blue Jays’ Level of Excellence includes former players (George Bell, Joe Carter, Carlos Delgado, Tony Fernandez, Roy Halladay, Dave Steve) as well as club executives (Paul Vistan, Pat Gill) and manager (Cito Gaston). People who contributed to the history of the club, such as Caster (Tom Chick), were named.